In general, all raw parts of the balloon flower plant are considered poisonous. The roots and the young leaves are used as medicine and in the kitchen in China and Korea, but you don't necessarily have to try it out.
Is the balloon flower poisonous?
The balloon flower is considered poisonous when raw, although its roots and young leaves are used in Asian cuisine and medicine. However, without specialist knowledge, you should rather use the balloon flower as a garden or balcony plant.
The roots are said to stimulate the immune system and even help against cancer. Young leaves are cooked and the older ones are dried and used as a spice. Without medical knowledge, you should limit yourself to using it as a garden or balcony plant.
The most important things in brief:
- all parts of the plant are considered poisonous when raw
- Roots are part of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
- Use in Asian cuisine
- dried leaves as a spice
- Roots as vegetables
Tip
Don't try to see if the balloon flowers in your garden are edible. There are enough plants that you can eat without worry, so you can safely forego any unpredictable experiments and simply enjoy the beautiful blooms of the hardy balloon flower.
